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One Bread, One Body - Reflection for November 2, 2008

CATHOLIC OR CULTURAL?

"If he were not expecting the fallen to rise again, it would have been useless and foolish to pray for them in death. But if he did this with a view to the splendid reward that awaits those who had gone to rest in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought." –2 Maccabees 12:44-45

The writer of second Maccabees assumed that praying for the dead was an accepted practice (2 Mc 12:44-45). He presented this practice as an argument to show the truth of the resurrection of the dead. Paul also assumed that praying for the dead, even baptizing them by proxy, was unquestionably accepted. Like the writer of second Maccabees, he used this practice to support the validity of the Lord's promise to raise us from the dead (1 Cor 15:29). We know from early Christian history that those called by the Lord to write the New Testament believed we should pray for the dead. The reason they didn't write extensively in the New Testament about purgatory and praying for the dead was not because they didn't believe it, but because no Christian disbelieved these things.

Now we must decide if we are going to see the truths of divine revelation as they are or with the blinders of our culture. Are we going to be "cultural Christians," or are we going to be truly "catholic" and transcend the limitations of our culture? Let's not allow our culture to filter out part of the truth of God's revelation. Let's have the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16), His Church, and the Bible. Let's serve in prayer some of our dead brothers and sisters. Let's believe that Jesus' resurrection prevents even death from separating us from Him and our brothers and sisters in Him. "All are alive for Him" (Lk 20:38).

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Acknowledgement

Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:

· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College